Land acquisition in India: an examination of the 2013 act and options

Abstract

Land continues to remain important for production and rural livelihoods in developing economies like India. But, globalisation and liberalisation in these economies has brought up land as an important policy issue as various stakeholders lay claims to it as never before. Although India is not a victim of land grab unlike many African and Asian countries, there has been a rush for acquiring and retaining land for various purposes which has led to local level conflicts. This article examines the question of acquisition of land in its scarcity context in India. It attempts to understand the process of land acquisition and the role of the state at various levels, as it is a state (provincial) subject in India. It examines various facets of land acquisition Act for their fairness and equity aspects including the proposed and now withdrawn amendments to it. The article proposes and examines alternative mechanisms and options to manage land resource in a sustainable way and yet avoid land-related conflicts.